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Nalates Urriah

Second Life Webkit Being Replaced By CEF – Update

Expect a Project Viewer version with Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) this year and maybe this month, probably in October. Webkit is being replaced with Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF). This is a major change in viewer technology for Second Life™. It will catch the viewer up with the new tech being used in phones and across the web.

329 Feel freedom, what can be best?

CEF is sort of the engine that makes video and animation possible in the web browsers. It used to be that Adobe’s Flash was the only way to add reliable video and animation to a web page. But, Adobe didn’t respond to Steve Job’s requests to support the iPhone, this was pre-iPhone release days. So, Apple moved ahead without Adobe. Now CEF type tech is replacing Flash in an HTML5 world.

Second Life TV’s and movie projectors will change. But, the change is much farther reaching than our media display. That is BIG, but this affects many of the panels we see in the viewer. The viewer’s internal web browser is currently Webkit based. That will change to CEF.

A number of other panels like Search and Profiles depend on the viewer’s Webkit browser. Those will change. Probably not appearance-wise. But, the technology that renders the page will.

Another significant possibility is a revival of HTML based HUD’s. This is a feature first talked about by Kelly Linden in 2011. We saw few using the new feature. In 2012 Darien Caldwell was building HTML HUD’s and filing bug reports. (See: Second Life HTML HUD’s) But, in general it didn’t catch on.

We have some HUD’s now that drive the viewer into Texture Thrashing. Plus prim HUD’s need extensive scripting. The use of HTML and particularly HTML5 that CEF can bring to the matter can reduce the scripting load. Whether HTML HUD’s will catch on now… well they didn’t last time, but the possibility is there and CEF is going to offer a lot more possibilities.

Oz is expecting to have a Project Viewer with the CEF feature out soon, week 40… maybe. Whenever it arrives the viewer is going to remain in Project status for some time. Oz is hoping those working with media products in SL will take it and test it for their use. If you have media products in SL this will be the time to get things fixed or changed so they work for you. If you miss this opportunity, changes requested later are likely to take a really long time to get implemented, if ever. Get it done now.

There are two ways ‘official ways’ to give feedback… and be heard. The JIRA and email. For viewer changes and suggestions this is the best way. Problems can be best reported in BUG reports. Changes or feature requests can be most effective when provided in JIRA Feature Requests, of course. Adding a ‘use case’ adds weight to both.

If you know which Linden is asking for specific feedback, email them. Along with the specific information include nearly all the same information as you would in a BUG report. I don’t recommend this method. For one they will have to translate your information into a JIRA item to take any action on it. So, it does add some work for the Linden and decease the chances of it being accepted. Also, it only works when you can write clear technical instructions and provide clear reasoning and relate it all to the issue at hand. Plus you have to assume they have almost no information to start with. By that I mean label your email well and eliminate assumptions. Lindens seldom deal with just one issue at a time. Help them associate your feedback with their specific project or feedback request.